Pressing On

Most of us like a sense of making progress, of moving through life and not being stagnate, of activity, forwardness, newness, a sense of passing from the past into the future. While we may enjoy looking back at what has been, we can’t live in the past.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹

‘Not yet’ but ‘pressing on’ is a healthy view of discipleship in Jesus. Yes, we are saved at a point in time but then we must continue in that commitment to be a new person in Christ, to continue to be becoming in His image in all of this life. The language Philippians was written in has the enhancements of Greek with continuing tenses—verbs that indicate beginning and continuing. ‘Be becoming’ is that idea, the sense of continuing forward in becoming complete, an ‘already, not yet’ sense of changing.

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. ²

Many of us want to achieve, to arrive, to be and not continue but Paul encourages us to keep on maturing, to continue pressing on toward the goal God has called us to in Jesus. One of the paradoxes of life in Jesus is the more we know Him, the more we know we want to know Him more. And, that we have farther to go to know Him as much as He wants us to know Him. Paul then give us another encouragement that we are in this together and need to be both an encouragement and an example to each other as we move toward maturity in the LORD.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. ³

Are you up to the challenge? Are you moving toward maturity in Jesus and have His priorities in your life? Are you in agreement with what He desires to accomplish through you? If so, be blessed today.